Save the date! T3 Technology Conference for Financial Advisors - Feb 10-12, 2016 - Florida

Visit now: www.TechnologyToolsForToday.com

Grab Your Running Shoes and Catch Up with Marie Swift - Fall 2013 Schedule Here

Technology Conference for Independent Broker/Dealers Gives Management Teams Unique Opportunity to Experience the Latest and Greatest Technology Solutions

Investment Advisor Magazine and Peter Montoya Announce First-Ever TechLeaders Conference in Dallas March 19-21, 2012

Investment Advisor magazine, one of the largest advisor-read publications in the independent investment management world, and Peter Montoya, a nationally-known financial services industry veteran, have partnered to produce the TechLeaders 2012 Conference, the only conference focused exclusively on technology resources for Broker/Dealer management.

The inaugural conference will be held March 19-21, 2012 at the Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas in Irving/Dallas, Texas. The conference boasts 30++ presentations from technology firms who will be showcasing the newest and most innovative solutions in the industry today. Montoya founded the TechLeaders Conference in order to address the need for quality programming and well-planned agendas focused exclusively on the many ways technology can solve the issues faced by broker-dealers and registered representatives in the financial services industry.

“There are tons of products in the marketplace whose aim is to assist Broker/Dealers and advisors, but there is a finite amount of time that these busy professionals have to devote to the process of figuring out what’s right for them at the place they are in their careers,” said Montoya. “The TechLeaders Conference will allow these professionals to have an opportunity to kick the tires and figure out what works for them and how they can seamlessly integrate these solutions into their businesses. This is the one place where they can quickly see everyone and everything in the marketplace,” Montoya said.

The 2012 TechLeaders conference will be supported by discussion groups, online user forums, and direct access to the technology vendors creating new solutions. The goal is to create a dialog through which new products can evolve in direct response to user need.

In addition, Investment Advisor magazine will be releasing the Broker/Dealer Technology Survey Results during an awards ceremony at the conference.

In an effort to truly utilize leading edge technology, TechLeaders will also host a virtual exhibit area where those unable to attend the conference will have access material about sponsors and their products.

Read full news release.

Great audio interview with Peter Montoya and Marie Swift:

Listen now.

Attention all IBD home office staff! 
Register to attend by March 1, 2012 and glean substantial savings. Details here: http://www.techleadersconference.com/location-registration.php

 

Only at TechLeaders will you:

- Hear the results of the very first ever Broker/Dealer Technology Survey—get ahead of the competition in determining what's working and what solutions your Representatives are looking for

- Benefit from conference-only pricing on the newest, most asked-for software, hardware, and productivity solutions

- Maximize time spent out of the office with a targeted agenda and the ability to spend quality face-time with solution providers—without distraction

Attention tech companies! 

Would you like to present your tech and productivity solutions to dozens of IBD executives and home office staff people? Sponsor the Tech Leaders Conference and gain exclusive access to these VIPs.

Download sponsor package now!

T3 Technology Conference to Provide Practical Wisdom, Expert Advice

Session Topics will Address Real-Life Productivity Issues

David Drucker and Joel Bruckenstein, two of the financial planning industry's best known leading lights and producers of the 6th Annual "T3" Technology Tools for Today™ Conference, today announced details of conference breakout sessions to be held at the Grand Hyatt Bonaventure Hotel in Weston, FL February 16-19th, 2011.

"We are introducing several new and exciting sessions that reflect changes in the marketplace," said David Drucker. "They will provide participants with guidance and advice for utilizing the latest products and services available. For example, the iPad was an instant hit for entertainment purposes, but it can also be used just as effectively in business. Advisors who are using it productively will share their insights and experiences about how this tool has transformed client meetings and presentations."

"Virtual Work Partners: Outsourcing Done Successfully" will offer practical information about this modern solution for administrative support. Jennifer Goldman with MyVirtualCOO, Stephanie Platt with Financial Services Outsourcing Solutions Inc., and Jessica Riner with Consider it Done! will teach participants about virtual assistants: what they do, best practices for working with them and how they can be used to reduce onsite administrative employee costs.

Oren Chaplin of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A. will lead a session on "Practical and Legal Issues Surrounding Technology Service Providers," in which he will discuss some of the legal issues that advisors face when using technology service providers. It will be different from the standard compliance discussion in that he will address real issues that advisors face in their relationships with technology service providers such as ownership of information, protecting against third party claims of infringement and indemnification.

Another session, "Workflow and Process: How to Identify and Incorporate It Into Your CRM," will be a discussion with Ken Golding of Junxure and Deborah Fox of Fox College Funding. "Advisors are hearing more and more that they need to use a robust CRM," Bruckenstein said. "This session will help them assess different ones in the marketplace so that they can choose the right one for them."

In addition to 25 or more breakout sessions, general sessions include presentations by TD AMERITRADE Institutional, Laserfiche and Asset Dedication. For conference registration, sponsorship application and additional details, visit T3's newly revamped website, www.TechnologyToolsForToday.com.

Standard price of $ 375.00 starts on 12/16/2010 and ends on 2/15/2011 at 11:59 p.m. Late/Onsite price of $ 400.00 starts on 2/16/2011 at 12:00 a.m.

Follow the T3 Community at www.Twitter.com/t3fan. Watch a series of short videos from past T3 Conferences and read other important information at www.T3Conference.blogspot.com.

Read full news release: T3 Technology Conference to Provide Practical Wisdom, Expert Advice

You'll get by with a little help from your (advisor) friends ...

What a month for industry trade publication content - and for great conferences, too!

David Drucker writes in the May issue of Financial Advisor magazine:

"What advisor networks do for the industry is to train advisors in the one thing they don’t get from CFP and other credentialing programs: Business savvy and processes. If this is what you’re lacking, think about joining an advisor network."

He profiles 3 advisor networks and mentions a couple others. I'm very proud that my firm, Impact Communications, has worked with and is happy to cheer lead for 3 of the networks named in the article - The Garrett Planning Network (www.garrettplanningnetwork.com - that's Sheryl Garrett pictured above), Fox Financial Planning (www.foxfinancialplanningnetwork.com) and Hanson McClain Retirement Network (www.hmrn.com).

By the way, Rick Epple of Epple Financial Advisors LLC in Wayzata, Minn (www.epplefinancial.com), who is mentioned in Drucker's article on advisor networks, will be one of 4 panelists who will share the top 3 marketing strategies that buoyed them through the dark days in 2008/09 during a presentation that I'll be leading at NAPFA's national conference in Chicago later this month. I hope to see all my NAPFA member friends and colleagues there - old and new!

If you're wondering "where in the world is Marie Swift" you can find a pretty accurate run down on my website, under Advisor Resources / Event Calendar. I just got back from speaking at 4 wonderful events - the Investment Adviser Association's national conference in Chicago, the National Association of Active Investment Managers national conference in Orlando, the fi360 national conference in Orlando, and the FPA Dallas Fort Worth regional financial planning symposium in Dallas - all in the span of 9 days - whew! I am happy to say I spent today shopping and doing girl-stuff at the mall with my favorite tweener, who ended up buying more stuff for herself than she did for me for Mother's Day (and that's a-okay by me!).

Also, by way of updates, a hearty congratulations goes out to Sheryl Garrett, who after many years of discussion with the Motley Fool finally inked an agreement with this well respected consumer information source. In addition to finalizing the Motley Fool agreement, which should be a real boon for Garrett Planning Network Members, Sheryl was in the May issue included in Investment Advisor magazine's list of the top 30 people in the financial planning profession over the past 30 years - wow!

And speaking of tops ... what a nice surprise to receive the May issue of Financial Planning magazine and see Jim Nagengast, President of Securities America, Inc. on the cover. The cover photo perfectly captures Jim's optimistic personality and the interior content by staff writer Paul Mencheca - The Road Ahead - provides a fair and balance look into the inner workings and executive team at Securities America, one of the big-5 IBDs in the nation and, I am proud to say, a tenured client with Impact Communications. And the companion video, published via Sourcemedia's new AdvisorTV channel, in which Nagengast shares his thoughts on the future not only for Securities America but for the industry as a whole, is a perfect compliment to Menchaca's article.

You'd think that things just couldn't get any better, content-wise this month, but then you'd be wrong (and so would I). Don't miss this month's column in Financial Planning magazine by Bob Veres. In his cover story, A Profession Comes of Age, Veres shares excerpts from his new white paper, The Future of Advice - which should be posted on his Inside Information website and available as a FREE download at www.bobveres.com by May 15th. I've just read an advance copy and was duly impressed by numerous insights from dozens of industry thought leaders (who Bob interviewed for the paper) and, of course, Veres himself. Until Bob gets the final version of The Future of Advice white paper done and onto his site, I highly recommend you read his article in Financial Planning magazine - and if you are not already subscribing to Inside Information or his Client Articles service, you owe it to yourself to look at those information sources as well.

So, back on the topic of advisor networks and "getting by with a little help from your (advisor) friends"...

Below is an excerpt from the article, which profiles Hanson McClain, one of Drucker's 3 profiled advisor networks. Scott Hanson and Pat McClain are incredibly sharp guys, with 1.2 billion in AUM. The PR Team at Impact Communications is pleased to be working with such a high caliber group! And thanks, Dave, for chosing 3 really good advisor networks to profile in your piece - I'm a big fan of your writing and am proud to be associated with the T3 Technology Tools for Today newsletter and annual conference (www.technologytoolsfortoday.com).

FROM THE MAY ISSUE OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE

Hanson McClain Retirement Network
If you haven’t heard of the Hanson McClain Retirement Network (www.hmrn.com), which has been around since 1998, perhaps that’s because it’s somewhat more specialized than either the Sestina or Fox networks. The Hanson McClain Retirement Network is a nationwide network of financial advisors specializing in retirement planning that provides marketing and practice management tools for advisors who want to work with retirees from the telecommunications and utilities industries.

Hanson McClain, an advisory firm with three offices in the Sacramento area, began to work with Pac Bell personnel in 1991 and developed a program that brought a stream of qualified clients through the door. “We built our business off of that,” says Scott Hanson, a senior partner and founding principal at the firm.

In doing so, Hanson McClain developed a model for other advisors to follow. “Part of what makes our model unique, says Hanson, “is that we first become experts at specific companies’ retirement plans. So, if we’re working with Florida Gas & Power, we become experts at that employer’s pension plans, learning all the options their employees have at retirement time.”

Hanson says what differentiates their offering from competitors at larger institutions is that his firm gets involved with the client three to five years prior to retirement. “We help them make financial choices today so they’ll be better prepared for retirement tomorrow. Then we capture their rollover dollars.”

Training with the Hanson McClain network takes the form of a partnership, Hanson says. Training starts with a one-day seminar, followed by a nine-week business plan to get advisors off the ground. The firm formulates the best approach for each partner and customizes the plan from there. Some get weekly calls and some might get onsite visits.

“With 40 employees, we have relationship managers who travel across the U.S. and work with partners in their offices,” Hanson says. “We help our partners market through our relationships with trade unions and other gate-keepers, and we put on marketing events for partners. As their practices grow, we help them in every area they need help.”

Examples can include choosing a CRM, hiring employees, or legal issues they’re dealing with. “We’re not successful unless our partners are successful,” Hanson says.

Partners pay nothing up front. “We invest time and resources on the front end, and we get paid through a revenue share of 20%, which applies to clients they work for who came through our connections,” Hanson says. “If they form new relationships with employers we don’t serve, then they keep all of that income.”

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.fa-mag.com/component/content/article/1-features/5484-help-from-your-friends.html

Conquer Market Woes with Technology

This year's Technology Tools for Today (“T3”) Conference, put on by Virtual Office News in February, offered advisors guidance on how to use technology to deal with the economic crisis.

Since I attended the conference, I decided to write about it and share the high points. Here's my first article, published by Financial Advisor magazine on March 12, 2009:

http://www.fa-mag.com/online-extras/3952-conquering-your-market-woes-with-technolog.html

You can watch Video Interviews and glean other great information at www.t3Conference.blogspot.com.